Hi everyone! It’s your host Mark Wu here. Beijing is getting it’s Autumn color, which you can barely see through the “autumn fog” that surrounds it. It’s an interesting feeling actually, because hen it gets colder, it starts to get more moist. And the old buildings and chunks of non-breathing concrete that surrounds you starts to smell. But it’s more than a smell, it’s more of a feeling.

That feeling is not a warm nice feeling, but something that you have to stay in Beijing for years for to learn to like. You feel like you need to get up and do things to get things done. It motivates you, rather than makes you still. Indeed, winter is the time to get shit done in China. And that’s exactly what I am set out to do. Which means, more blog writing to keep my fingers warm for example.

Do you like my new header image? I had it custom made to my mood of the season. Here is a poem I recently wrote:

Beijing, at first I was curious.

Soon, I learned to hate you.

Then I met you and here I am.

Afraid that if I leave you, I will be haunted with memories of a beauty that will never be understood.

That sums up my mood! And since this trip is not for ever, it will haunt me anyway.. sooner or later.

Welcome everyone, I am really exited about this website project I am doing mainly by myself, but also with the help of a few expat friends here in Beijing. The bottom line is, that this is a group of Beijingers that are fully dedicated to living here. We are not those weak foreigners with tails in their legs, trying to escape the often harsh realities of this city. Instead, we embrace everything that comes and try to adapt with the folks here. It’s a big barrier to cross, but once it’s done.. some of the most amazing things start to happen. This is all part of the Beijing Cool, because the city is indeed one of the most exiting places to live and play.

We won’t be talking about what everyone else is talking about, since there is enough of boring expat talk around. This blog is dedicated as is our lives here. Every day is a constant exploration of the new, with creativity blooming in many places. You just need to know where to look for it. The language barrier is one stopper, but the main one is the mind. We are going to loosen the frame and help us fellow English speakers to get more into the alternative lifestyle in Beijing.